Castletown Commissioners have clarified that the 133 planned homes proposed for School Hill and West Hill is not an additional development as it has been reported in other media.

They said that an existing approved development has been resubmitted following a technical amendment to the section 13 agreement following discussions with relevant government departments.

The only amendment made is clarification on on how many houses are to be affordable housing units and how many are local authority housing.

There are 133 units proposed, 39 of which are open market and 94 of them are local authority housing. Ten of the 39 open-market properties will be affordable housing units. The original application was submitted in 2019.

It says the development would be a mix of public sector housing, open market and affordable housing, which could cost an average price of £155,000.

Four of the planned homes will be suitable for disabled use and the development plans to have a mix of bungalows, apartments and houses.

A children’s play area and green space are also going to be provided.

The local authority said in a planning statement that this application is to replace the older stock that needs updating.

The development from the outset intended by the commissioners was to ensure that its public sector tenants at School Hill are provided with homes of a satisfactory standard, to redress the balance between public sector housing and private housing in Castletown and to act in accordance with the island plan and the island’s economic strategy.

Castletown Commissioners said the vision for the housing is to ‘provide good quality housing which meets peoples changing needs and aspirations, and is located in a safe, pleasant, and community based environment with a healthy mix of residents, both social housing and homeowners’.